Lenin's Russia & Stalin's Rise to Power (p.1-31)

Lenin's Russia, 1917-24: The Nation that Stalin Inherited 

Key Dates
 1917-     Feb. Revolution, Oct. Revolution
 1917-24  Consolidation of Bolshevik Power
 1918       Decree separating church and state
 1918-20  Russian Civil War, Foreign interventions, The Red Terror
 1921        Ban on factionalism
 1922        Purges and Show Trials
 1924        Death of Lenin

1. Lenin in Power

• October 17- Lenin's Bolshevik take over prov. gov't 
• Believed they represented the Proletariat & had the right to shape the new Russia 
• Lenin allowed no opposition to his gov't 
• Red Terror- political enemies & critics crushed 
• established trend of authoritarian rule and terror in USSR  
• Used foreign pressure as an excuse to demand conformity from the masses- the only way for the rev. to survive  
• Bolshevik power intended to be absolute 
• Lenin always described his rule as "democratic" to please the masses 
• Democratic Centralism- True democracy in Bolshevik Party lay in obedience of members     (no actual democracy)
• Lenin believed workers did not know enough to govern, enlightened leaders must lead
• Authoritarianism: Just as authoritarian as Tsars
•   One- Party state- all other parties outlawed
• Bureaucratic State- Central power increased (rather that withering away) and # of gov't institutions grew
• Police State- Cheka, first secret police
• Ban on factionalism- ban on complaints about gov't  (no free speech)
• Destruction of trade unions 
• Purges and Show trials
• Concentration Camps
• Prohibition of public worship- orthodox churches shut down, clergy arrested  

  2. The Shaping of Soviet Society under Lenin

• Stalin notorious for  trying to create a new type of human (Homo sovietcus)
• Trotsky: aim of Comm. state was "to produce a new 'improved' version of man" 
• Lenin & Trotsky: People had to be molded into what you wanted them to be
• Proletkult- Proletarian culture (really state-controlled culture) 
• Extreme censorship (culture essentially just propaganda)
• cultural stuff dictated by inteligencia 
• secular state- no organized religion

Stalin's Rise to power: Key dates

1912- Joins Central Comm. of party

1917 Stalin returns from exile, comm. for nation 

1919- liaison between Politburo and organization 

1921 - Lenin's ban on factionalism

1922- Stalin is general secretary 

1923- Lenin's testament  

1924- Lenin's Death, Stalin gives Funeral oration

1925- Trotsky loses war Communism 

1927- Trotsky expelled from party 

1928- Stalin's Industrialization policies begin -> right losing power 

1929- Stalin is the undisputed leader, Trotsky exiled